Yikes! I was afraid that this was going to happen. Nj.com's sister paper's website -- pennlive.com -- has already been upgraded. To say that it was a major step backwards, IMHO, would be an understatement.

How horrible! My thoughts, prayers and heartfelt condolences are with the victims and their family and friends. Hopefully the injured will have a complete and speedy recovery. Sadly, the fire was probably started by squatters who will never be found. It's a shame that the abandoned building wasn't torn down. Not tearing it down was a disaster waiting to happen.

How horrible! My thoughts, prayers and heartfelt condolences go out to the victims and their family and friends. I hope and pray that the injured fully recovery from their wounds and that all of the survivors and the first responders somehow can find the strength to cope with the aftermath of their ordeal. (Sadly their lives are never going to be the same.) Fortunately, Colorado has the death penalty and isn't afraid to use it.

The neighborhood runs right into Newport (by the A&P, etc.) It's also a short walk to Hoboken. Unfortunately, there's also a lot of brownfields in that area. That could limit its desirability as a residential neighborhood. Think that GE Mercury Building in Hoboken: http://www.nytimes.com/1996/09/29/nyregion/in-hoboken-a-dream-is-poisoned-by-mercury.html. That lot is understandably still vacant after all these years. They also never built anything on the site of a fatal fire (on the corner of 15th and Grove -- directly across from St Lucy's) that happened over 30 years ago.

Whenever anything happens both the victims and any witnesses either see nothing or refuse to cooperate with the police. The only way to reduce crime is to get the thugs off the streets by overcoming the fear of retaliation and testifying against the people who victimize law abiding residents.